Smithsonian Exhibition Spotlights Pahari Painting Traditions From The Himalayan Kingdoms

An exhibition at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art is showcasing Pahari painting, an art form that grew in the Himalayan kingdoms of northern India and is closely tied to the region’s landscapes, beliefs and courtly life.

“Of the Hills: Pahari Paintings from India’s Himalayan Kingdoms” brings together 48 paintings and coloured drawings, and is on view until July 26. The display traces the evolution of the genre across three key periods between 1620 and 1830, presenting works that chart changing styles, subjects and workshop practices over time.

Art From The Mountains

Organised chronologically, the exhibition shows how artists working in the Himalayan foothills shaped visual narratives that helped define the mountains not only as a physical setting, but also as a sacred geography. It situates the paintings within the broader cultural world in which they were made, where artistic production was closely tied to courtly and devotional life.

The galleries move between finely detailed figures and more stylised views of the landscape, showing the care taken with line, colour and composition. They also point to how these works were often made in workshops, where techniques and ideas were shared and passed down over time, shaping the way Pahari painting developed across generations.

“These paintings are swoon-worthy,” said Debra Diamond, the Elizabeth Moynihan Curator for South and Southeast Asian Art, in a statement. “Created with opaque watercolours made from ground pigments, beetle wings and gold, it’s no surprise that they are among the most beloved of Indian paintings. Paradoxically, they also are among the least well understood.”

About The Exhibition

Of the Hills reconsiders conventional ways of writing art history by focusing on how artistic collaboration influenced painting traditions across three periods from 1620 to 1830. Arranged chronologically, the exhibition traces changes in style and approach, drawing attention to shifting uses of abstraction as well as recurring themes of love, devotion and storytelling.

The presentation encourages close looking, from intricate details to more imaginative visual elements that move between humour, elegance and intensity.

An opening section provides context for the works, outlining the cultural and geographical setting in which they were produced and highlighting the role of painters in shaping perceptions of the Himalayas as a sacred landscape.

Several of the works on display have not been shown publicly before. Others have recently entered the collection through the holdings of Ralph Benkaim and the art historian Catherine Glynn Benkaim, adding fresh material to the study of the genre.

Parallel Shows

The show is part of a wider focus on Pahari painting in the United States this season, running alongside Epic of the Northwest Himalayas: Pahari Paintings from the ‘Shangri’ Ramayana at the Cleveland Museum of Art and Longing: Painting from the Pahari Kingdoms, 1680–1820 at the Cincinnati Art Museum.

FAQs

What is Of the Hills about?
It is an exhibition exploring Pahari painting traditions that developed in the Himalayan kingdoms of northern India between the 17th and 19th centuries.

Where is the exhibition taking place?
It is being held at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art in Washington DC.

How many works are included?
The exhibition features 48 paintings and coloured drawings.

When is it open until?
The exhibition runs until 26 July.

What themes does it explore?
It looks at collaboration in artistic practice, devotional and romantic themes, and the depiction of the Himalayas as a sacred landscape.

Are all the works previously exhibited?
No, several works have never been shown publicly before, while others come from recent acquisitions including the Ralph and Catherine Glynn Benkaim collection.